Health

Gun storage patterns in US homes with children: a pediatric practice-based survey

Article Abstract:

Evidence suggests that most families with small children who own guns do not store them safely. Pediatricians may wish to address gun safety with the families in their practices. Researchers surveyed 5233 families with small children who live in a wide range of geographical locations about their gun ownership and methods of storing the gun and ammunition. Thirty-two percent (1682 of 5233) of these families reported owning at least one gun. Of these gun owners, 61% do not lock up their guns and 7% store at least one gun loaded and unlocked. Families who own a gun for self-protection were 13 times more likely to keep it loaded. Family members who carry a gun in association with their job were 9 times more likely to keep it loaded at home. Gun-owning families store their gun most often in the bedroom (52%).

Children's and women's ability to fire handguns

Article Abstract:

Children as young as three have the strength required to pull the trigger of a typical handgun. A group of 556 children aged 3 to 10 and their mothers operated a device that measured trigger-pull strength in order to determine whether a handgun trigger could be designed that would permit firing by 95% of the women while preventing children from firing it. Ninety-five percent of the women could exert at least 10 lb of pressure. Using two fingers, 25% of 3- to 4-year-olds, 70% of 5- to 6-year olds, and 90% of 7- to 8-year-olds could exert that much force. Ninety-two percent of available handguns have a trigger-pull setting of 10 lb or less, which means they pose a risk not generally appreciated by families. Other means than trigger pull-strength must be used if a child-proof handgun is to be designed.

Growth of Chicago-area infants, 1985 through 1987: not what the reference curves predict

Article Abstract:

Currently used infant growth curves may need to be revised upward due to an increasing number of infants in the upper percentiles of the curves. Researchers compared measurements of 1,574 infants in Chicago-area pediatric practices to the currently used National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth curves. The average birth weight of Chicago infants was higher than NCHS averages. Chicago infants weighed more at one, three, and six months of age. They were also longer and had bigger head circumferences. Use of NCHS curves for today's infants may underestimate underweight infants and overestimate heavy infants.